By Dr. Segun ‘Tremendous’ Oshinaga
Gratitude is a virtue. The Roman orator Cicero called gratitude not only the “greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” The philosopher Immanuel Kant called ingratitude the “essence of vileness.” You can’t be a good man and not be a grateful man.
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Psalm 34:1
Many people are facing life with a daily sense of dread rather than a daily sense of thanksgiving. We must never allow what we don’t have make us forget what we do have. We each have enough to be grateful for unless we are thoughtless.
‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.’ Alice Walker
Prayer is not a furious session of complaints and an outpouring of grievances, pains and frustrations as we have become accustomed to.
‘Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.’- Alan Cohen
Praise worship is not a prelude to prayer as is commonly practiced today but prayer itself. Giving thanks daily ought to be our primary and customary delight.
Gratitude, appreciation and thanksgiving should not only be at the heart of every prayer but prayers and supplications ought to be wrapped up completely in thanksgiving. It’s therefore safe to assume that you have not prayers until thanksgiving has preceded it, surrounded it and completely wrapped up in thanksgiving.
“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.”
Philippians 4:6
It is my firm conviction that gratitude makes you great. Greatness pursues grateful and thankful people. In my custom, we say – ‘Yini yini ka le ri imi gba’, which is roughly translated – ‘When we are thankful, we make room for more.’
In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thankfulness is the ‘will’ of God for you. I dare say that ingratitude is a stranger to grace and an enemy of mercy. And the WORD says, ‘In EVERYTHING give thanks.’ So whatever situation you find yourself, give thanks. Give thanks for the good, the bad and the ugly. While you’re at it, God’s grace and mercy will show up.
Anybody can praise God when it’s good. The test of thanksgiving is when life is rough and the storms are raging.
This is December, the last month of 2024, it’s fitting that we be grateful for all of God’s goodness to us in this year.
